What Is a To-Do List? How It Differs from a Task List and How to Use One

You have tried making a to-do list but it never quite seems to work, or you are not sure how it differs from a task list. This article explains what a to-do list is, how it differs from a task list, a simple way to write and use one even if you are just starting, and the point at which a to-do list is no longer enough.

What Is a To-Do List?

A to-do list is a list of things you need to do, written one per line. You tick items off or strike them through as you finish them, which makes it the simplest form of self-management there is. You can keep one on paper or in a phone app, and it needs no special tools or knowledge.

What a to-do list is for

The main purpose of a to-do list is to stop you forgetting things. Trying to hold everything in your head leaves you with a nagging sense that something has slipped. Once it is written down and out of your head, you no longer have to spend attention remembering it, and it becomes easier to focus on the work in front of you.

How a To-Do List Differs from a Task List

In everyday speech, to-dos and tasks mean almost the same thing. When you manage them as lists, though, they play different roles.

• To-do list: a reminder so you do not forget. Items need no deadline or owner and can be written in any order. Mainly used for yourself
• Task list: a list of work that must be finished. Each item has a deadline, an owner and a completion condition (what has to be true for it to be done), and covers work where not finishing affects someone else

Buying batteries or sending someone a thank-you for their materials belongs on a to-do list. Work with a clear deadline and completion condition that also involves others, such as summarising last month's ad results for next week's regular meeting and submitting them to your manager the day before, is better managed on a task list.

The differences point by point

• Main purpose: a to-do list is about not forgetting; a task list is about making sure things get finished
• Deadlines: optional on a to-do list; required on a task list
• Owner: usually just you on a to-do list; possibly several people on a task list
• Item size: a to-do list includes errands that take a few minutes; a task list centres on work with multiple steps
• Who uses it: a to-do list is personal; a task list is used by individuals and teams alike

How to Use a To-Do List: Five Steps